Using Your Glue Gun to Create Stencils!

Hello and happy day everyone!  Today we are starting a New Challenge over at the Sisterhood for Snarky Stampers, and Edna Says: "T" is for Technique! Now, if you are a regular visitor to my little blog space you know that I LOVE to try and share new and wonderful ways to use what you already have on hand in different, and sometimes unusual ways.

... and that is what I am going to share with you today - So raise your hand if you have one (or six?) hot glue guns hidden away in a drawer collecting dust.  I Do! I Do!

 

But I pulled them out at Christmas and discovered, totally by accident, that the hot glue on my craft mat, once dried, peels off easily and perfectly intact - and my creative brain exploded with ideas!  "Why can't I make my own stencils with hot glue?  But I CAN!"

Now I am not the first person to discover this and if you search YouTube you will find many, many videos of people sharing this technique, but for a few minutes it felt good to think that it was ME that discovered this wonderful way to make me some background stencils using stuff I already have!

So in a whole bunch of photos to follow I am sharing my process, a few of the backgrounds I created and of course a few cards I made using those backgrounds... Enjoy!!

Use a craft mat and a hot glue gun, that's pretty much it!  I sectioned off an area with masking tape to create a 6x8 inch stencil space, but it really was not necessary... I free handed the first few; circles are totally easy and for me, so are hearts... just make sure everything is attached.

 

Here is the circle stencil after it had cooled and some backgrounds I created using it with my sprays.  Usually I do not use my sprays with stencils because I am never happy with the results, but because the glue stencil is so heavy it worked beautifully with my sprays, very little seeped underneath, like it usually does.  I was quite pleased with how these backgrounds turned out.

Then I decided to get fancy and instead of winging it I drew a pattern on my craft mat with a marker. (Note: Do NOT use your alcohol ink markers if you want to remove the pattern from your craft mat after you are done.) 

It worked beautifully and I used this stencil to create a background in my art journal.  I love the lumpy, bumpy, imperfect-ness of this pattern.

I think I had the most fun with the two heart stencils I made, a vertical and a horizontal, and using all my red, pink, fuchsia and gold sprays...

I am not sure which I like better, the backgrounds I created or the inky paper towels that are left behind - SWOON!

So, if you are not hung up on perfect images, there really is really no limit to what you can create with your glue gun.   I think I will try to make some word stencils my next go around.  And now here are the cards I created using these backgrounds.

Suzi Blu - Mademoiselle

You might think that the colors are too vibrant and the patterns too loud, but actually those same colors and patterns enhance the images I painted and cut out and mounted on these card bases... Note:  All images used are Unity Stamps created by Suzi Blu.

Suzi Blu - Serenity Angel

 

Suzi Blu - Chickadee and Me

Suzi Blu - Spring Flower Chic

Suzi Blu - Gypsy Warrior

Suzi Blu - Party Love

Suzi Blu - Serenity Angel

Suzi Blu - You Are Loved

So that's it for today... quite enough for one read I think.  I hope you enjoyed this New-To-Me Technique and that it inspires you to pull out that old glue gun and give it a try.  And if it does, why not link up your New Technique-inspired project to our "T" is for Technique Challenge... you have until Friday, January 26th and we always choose a Queen of Snark and her Princesses.

As always, thank you for popping in to see what I am up to and please do leave me a comment if you like what you are seeing. 

Lynne Mizera, 

for the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers

Go HERE for Suzi Blu Unity Stamps Used:

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers: "N" Is For Naughty Christmas

Hello and Happy CHRISTMAS everyone!! I love that I am ending this year of snarky, card-making fun as  a Sister in the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers with the (now) traditional Naughty Christmas Challenge... and isn't it just fitting that this is also our 100th challenge!  

 

And here is my creation using the JJ Christmas Box digital stamp from Bugaboo Digi Stamps - where they just happen to be having a 50% off EVERYTHING sale until December 31st (just Sayin').  

This was a pretty easy to make card since all I did was print off the image, color it in using my Copic markers and cut and mount it on a card base... and of course I added a wee bit of glitter with my gold gel pens... I think she kind of looks like me! (grin)

This challenge is open for an entire month so the design team can spend the holiday eating and drinking well into the new year... so you have until Friday, January 19th to link up your Naughty Christmas creation, and please do consider joining us because we love seeing your creative, snarky brains in action.  Also, don't forget to pop on over to the Sisterhood to see what Naughty creations the team has made for us as we ring out 2017!

Thanks for popping in today to see what I am up to and wishing you and yours a WONDERFUL
Christmas and holiday season.
Lynne Mizera
for the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers
 

  

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers: "V" Is For Vegan (Animals)

Hello and Happy Day everyone!  Life for me has been CRAZY these past few months and I am imagining that THIS is how a Christmas elf probably feels working in Santa's workshop right about now!! (Grin)  So I have  been MIA from the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers for the past few challenges and my posting for the Sisterhood may be a wee bit sporadic for the next few months, but Worry NOT - I am still here!! For this challenge Edna says 

 

which means make something featuring an animal, a LIVE animal because I think using a dead one just wouldn't be playing fair, (she says with a BIG GIANT SMILE.)  And Here is my creation:

Using a set of digital stamps from Bugaboo Stamps (a 100% Canadian Company!) I colored the images with my Copic markers and mounted them on this embossed background covered with a layer of spiced marmalade distress ink.

So check out Bugaboo Stamps, their collection of digital stamps is pretty awesome, and don't forget to pop on over to The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers to see what the rest of the team have created... and why not consider joining us?  You have until Friday, December 22nd at midnight to link up your LIVE animal creation and we always choose a Queen of Snark and her Princesses! 
Lynne Mizera
for the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers
 

Sisterhhood Of Snarky Stampers: "Z" Is For Zombies

Happy Day everyone!  It's October and time for a new challenge over at the Sisterhood for Snarky Stampers ... so you know what that means... 

Edna says: "Z" is for Zombie! 

 

 Eeeeek!

Well I just don't DO the REAL Zombie thing, coloring that much blood and guts makes me queasy, so I went looking for something that I could Stomach (no pun intended... or maybe it WAS? grin).  And I found these awesome digital images from Vera Lane called "Zombie Couple with Cat" ...  and here is what I did with the zombie couple: 

But it was that cat that stole my heart (and probably ate it! bigger grin)... I could not stop coloring that cat.  So what do you do with five Zombie Cats?  Why you RIVER DANCE! Ha!Ha!Ha!

Yup... after I found this quote and made this card I just couldn't stop laughing.  

It still makes me grin seeing all those zombie eyes in a row...

and their stiff little arms...

and then I can just see those little rotting feet going so fast they start flying off and hitting people in the audience!

Ha!Ha!Ha! snort, giggle, wheeeeze... (yes, I am a wee bit twisted in here).

I colored all these images using my Copic markers and I really did have a lot of fun coming up with the perfect shade of rotting green flesh and yellowing eyeballs.  But seriously I am so glad this challenge comes around only once a year!

So do pop on over to the Sisterhood to see what my design teamies have created because some of them are even MORE twisted than me!  And please do consider linking up your own rotting zombie creations (the snarkier the better) for a chance to crowned Queen of Snark or one of her Princesses.  You have until midnight Friday, October 27th to join in.

Thanks for popping in today to see what I am up to and please do leave me a comment if you like what you are seeing!

Lynne Mizera, Beginner Zombie Creator

for the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Design Team

 

SNARKTOBERFEST, 2017 A Month-Long Card Making Event...WHO KNEW?!

Even though I have been a Sister in the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers since inception (has it really been four years now?)  I had no idea there was an annual event called SNARKtoberfest!

 

This year we, the Sisterhood were asked if we would like to participate, and of course we said YES!  (A no-brainer, really) and I went to town making THREE cards for this totally fun event featuring stamps I received from the Crackerbox Palace Rubber Stamps  ...

 

Breaking into my hoarded paper stash from my Graphic 45 "A Ladies Diary" collection and images from a "never-to-be-touched" sheet by  From Grandma's Attic, I decided to create a few cards that have a gentle, old-fashioned feeling but with zinger quotes!

 

I thought this little cutie was just PERFECT for this particular stamp... but my very favorite is the card below which says "When sweetness fails, and tears don't work...

And the inside...

Ha!Ha!Ha!  And the reason this is so funny?  Because it's TRUE!!

This event is going on all month long and there are LOTS of prizes and you can find all the details on the Sisterhood for Snarky Stampers blog today: HERE.  And I do hope you will join in because where else can you be rewarded for being cheeky, snarky and/or sarcastic? (grin)

Lynne  Mizera
for SNARKtoberfest, 2017 and The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers

 

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers: P is for Pink Halloween

Before I go and share my card with you for this challenge I have to make a public announcement:

"Please Take Notice That This Item Contains Mature Subject Matter.

Viewer Discretion Is Advised."

Grin

On that note WELCOME to this week's challenge over at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers!! 

"P" is for Pink Halloween:

This is our 4th Annual PINK Halloween challenge, something we as a group decided to do in honor of both the Fight To Cure Breast Cancer and Halloween.  It is one of my very favorite challenges because every year I go looking for a new witch I can do up in Pink with some kind of wonderfully snarky saying, and this year I came up with a doozy! (even if I do say so myself).  It's a two-parter: the Outside...

And... wait for it... the INSIDE!

BAHHHH! HAAAAA! HAAAA! HAAAA!!  That was my reaction when I first read this quote and I hope it was yours too - Grin.  This deceptively simple card was NOT simple at all because I used the technique that my O.C.D. brain loves the very best ... I call it Extreme Paper Piecing.

"What's That?" you say.  Well you find a stamp that you like that has lots of clean lines and spaces and you stamp it ...or in this case as I chose a digital stamp, print it off... on as many different colors and patterns of paper that you want on the finished image. And then you cut and paste - like putting a puzzle together... 

"And why is this considered extreme ?" you ask.  In this case it is extreme because My O.C.D. Brain likes lots of different colors and patterns and the smaller the tiny bit of paper is that I have to cut out the better it soothes my CRAZY brain - take a look at the size of her shoes... or her neck, and how about that buckle on her hat?  See what I mean?!? And if you are going to  make ONE, you may as well make SIX! Grin

Although I have NO IDEA what I am going to do with six of these cards?  So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...

And you really must pop over to the Sisterhood blog today to see what my teammates have created... this particular challenge is ALWAYS a lot of fun.  You have until Friday, October 6th to link up your own creation if would like to play along... We ALWAYS choose a Queen of Snark and her Princesses!!

 

Well, that's it for today.  I hope you enjoyed this bit of Halloween Humor, and please do leave me a comment if like what you see!!

Lynne Mizera,

For The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers